# Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐)

> Fermented tofu, usually fried to a crisp shell, with a smell that walks ahead of the stall — the night-market food visitors fear and then finish.

- Category: snack
- Also known as: chou dou fu, fermented tofu
- Spice: mild
- Vegetarian-friendly: yes
- Typical price: NT$50–90 for a paper tray of fried cubes
- Regions: Taipei, island-wide
- Related night markets: shilin, raohe
- Last verified: 2026-09-11

You will smell it before you see the sign. Stinky tofu is tofu left to ferment in a brine that can include fermented milk, vegetables, and shop-secret bacteria, until it smells like a mop closet in July. Then it is fried, stewed, or grilled. The smell is the fermentation; the taste, if the stall is good, is closer to a ripe cheese with a clean fried crust.

Visitors treat it as a dare. Locals treat it as a Tuesday night snack. Both can be true at the same stall.

## How to eat it

**Fried** is the on-ramp: golden cubes, a heap of **pickled cabbage**, maybe a little garlic sauce. Eat it hot. The cabbage is there to reset your mouth between cubes, not to hide the tofu.

**Stewed** (*ma la* or a soy broth) is the deeper end of the pool — softer, louder, sometimes with duck blood or intestines depending on the stall. Skip it if offal makes you nervous. **Grilled** shows up at some markets on skewers; smoky, still funky, easy to walk with.

If you are vegetarian, fried stinky tofu is one of the few night-market foods that is actually yours — confirm the fryer is not shared with meat if that matters to you. Many stalls cannot promise that.

## How to order

Point at the fried tray. Hold up fingers for the size. Do not ask them to “make it less stinky.” That is the dish. Carry it away from the stall if your friends are dramatic; the smell clings to clothes more than to the aftertaste.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is stinky tofu?

Stinky tofu is tofu fermented until it develops a strong, funky aroma, then usually deep-fried and served with pickled cabbage. Stewed and grilled versions exist and are more intense.

### Is stinky tofu spicy?

The tofu itself is not. Chili sauce is often offered on the side, and some stewed versions come in a hot broth.

### Where should I try stinky tofu in Taipei?

Night markets are the point. Shilin and Raohe both have well-known fried stalls. Start with fried and pickled cabbage before you graduate to the stewed bowls.